30 PROCTOR | April 2016
Ceremony launches
‘In Freedom’s Cause’
sclqld.org.au
Two World War One light horsemen
in full uniform greeted guests as
they arrived at the entrance of the
Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law
for the ceremonial launch of ‘In
Freedom’s Cause’ on 18 February.
It was a small but evocative reminder of the
Queensland lawyers, students at law and law
clerks who wore khaki livery and feathered
slouch hats in the Great War.
The official launch took place in the Banco
Court, which was filled to capacity with
members of the legal profession and military,
families of the featured lawyer-soldiers,
and project supporters.
Introduced by Supreme Court Library
Committee chair Justice Hugh Fraser, Justice
John Logan RFD of the Federal Court – the
project’s lead instigator – gave a broad
overview of how the exhibition and associated
publication came to be, and provided a context
for the many personal stories of courage,
honour, loyalty and sacrifice featured in
the exhibition and publication.
Next the audience was addressed by
Queensland Chief Justice Catherine Holmes,
who elaborated on Justice Logan’s theme
of how World War One profoundly affected
the state’s legal profession, and cut short the
careers of many promising young lawyers.
The Chief Justice’s address focused on the
project’s other core theme of family and
community, including her own family’s
stories of involvement in World War One.
In welcoming the many family members of the
lawyer-soldiers to the court and in reflecting
on the human cost of that terrible, wasteful
conflict, the Chief Justice brought both an
intimacy and poignancy to the occasion.
Chief Judge Administrator Justice John Byrne
AO RFD then recited the Ode to the Fallen,
with responses from the audience. Barristers
David Thomae and Keith Wylie read the names
of the 10 Queensland lawyer-soldiers who
died in action or from their wounds, before the
haunting strains of The Last Post and Rouse
echoed through the court, calling all present to
consider the tragic consequences of the war.
Supreme Court Library Queensland is very
grateful to the Victoria Barracks Museum for
arranging the participation of light horsemen
re-enactors Jed Millen and Geoff Dunn, and
bugler Alex Long.
Visit sclqld.org.au for more information about
this exciting new exhibition, or to buy a copy
of the publication, In Freedom’s Cause: The
Queensland Legal Profession and the Great War.
1. Geoff Dunn, left, and Jed Millen in light
horsemen uniform.
2. Justice John A Logan RFD.
3. From left, Justice John Logan RFD,
Chief Justice Catherine Holmes,
Justice Hugh Fraser and Tony Cunneen.
4. Members of the Queensland University
Regiment, from left, Warrant Officer Class
One Michael Clarke, Regimental Sergeant
Major Colonel David Thomae and commanding
officer Lieutenant Colonel Richard Peace.
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